My Papers

Imaginary Futures

Participate in this event on Space Explorations, Telescopes and Imaginary Futures.
Major scientific experiments like Space-missions, Large Particle Accelerators and massive Radio Telescopes are exploring our interest in outer space and its potential benefit to us. A search for resources on other planets to make up for our depletion of them on earth is driving recent Mars missions to search for water and potential living conditions.

Major scientific experiments like Space-missions, Large Particle Accelerators and massive Radio Telescopes are exploring our interest in outer space and its potential benefit to us. A search for resources on other planets to make up for our depletion of them on earth is driving recent Mars missions to search for water and potential living conditions. This is no longer just a science fictional idea, but rather a direct response to our over-population and water crisis on earth. The international scientific community has recognized over a century ago that water loss and desertification are major economic, social and environmental problems and of concern to many countries in all regions of the planet. Therefore it is not surprising that one speculates the significance of, for example, finding traces of water in space or explore other facts and fiction.

Writers and artists have for centuries hypothesized on scientific predictions such as planetary environments. Recently it has been questioned whether certain concepts belong to the practice of science fiction or science. This is substantiated by homage paid to Jules Verne by National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA and the Clarke Bradbury science fiction competitions by the European Space Agency, ESA. It is important to note that science fiction often set the stage for public acceptance and accessibility of abstract scientific pursuits. Today that role of science fiction (in its various forms) is complimented by contemporary art practice. Art works that utilize currently available technologies for creative expression critically address culture and public perception of scientific activities.

Addressing this intersection of science, art and science-fiction, Czegledy and Neustetter in partnership with Patrick J. Gyger (historian and writer) and Kathryn Denning (anthropologist), are hoping to present some of the thought concepts and ideas that surround the current scientific search. In order to do this, they have asked the question: “What do we ask about our future?” to stimulate response and futher questions. This hopes to evoke questions that can in turn develop imaginary concepts of our possible future relationship to our surroundings and that could be and challenges our relationship to our planet.

At ISEA2011 in Istanbul, a dialogue consisting of an artist, a science fiction writer/expert and a scientist will address the topic of Imaginary Futures. At this public event Nina Czegledy and Marcus Neustetter will stimulate the discussion through on-site presentation of visual and textual materials. The aim of this semi performative public discussion is to establish and gather 5-10 key questions. These questions will be used for collecting response from a larger audience. The Imaginary Futures session will be documented and the resulting questions used for the subsequent phase.

Bios of the Presenters

Nina Czegledy

Nina Czegledy, media artist, curator and educator works internationally on collaborative art and science/technology projects, as well as in education. She has led, or been a key contributor to, numerous forums, education workshops and festivals around the world. Czegledy has published widely in books and journals and has presented at several international conferences and lectured at academic institutions.. Current art projects include Aura/Aurora (2010, 2011) a collaborative interactive audio-visual environment with Bettine Schuelke, Marton Andras Juhasz and Laszlo Kiss, Visual Collider (2009-2011 with Marcus Neustetter). Recent curatorial projects include: The Pleasure of Light, co-curated with Rona Kopeczky, Ludwig Museum Budapest 2010, National Museum, Gdanks 2011, co-curator 3rd Quadrilateral Biennial (Rijeka Croatia 2009) Device Art in Budapest (Hungary 2009) co-curator e-mobile Art, the European Mobile Lab 2007-2009 (an EU project) and organizing team member for SCANZ 2011 Eco Sapiens (New Plymouth, New Zealand 2011).

Senior Fellow at KMDI (Knowledge Media Design Institute) at the University of Toronto, Adjunct Associate Professor Concordia University, Montreal, Senior Fellow, Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Budapest. Member of the Governing Board for Leonardo, contributing editor of the Leonardo Electronic Almanac, Research Fellow, Intercreate Org. New Zealand and member of the Observatoire Leonardo des Arts et des Techno-Sciences OLATS scientific committee.

Marcus Neustetter

Marcus Neustetter is a Johannesburg based artist, cultural activist and producer, Marcus Neustetter, reflects critically and playfully on his context through his art and collaborative projects. His strategy has been to pro-actively create, play and experiment to build opportunities and experiences that investigate, reflect and provoke. Mostly process driven, his production of art at the intersection of art, science and technology has led him to work in a multi-disciplinary approach from conventional drawings to permanent and temporary site specific installations, mobile and virtual interventions and socially engaged projects internationally.

Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the 14 November 1976, Marcus Neustetter attended the Deutsche Schule zu Johannesburg from 1982 to 1994. He read for his Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, earning his Masters Degree in 2001. During this time he launched sanman (Southern African New Media Art Network).

In the past 10 years Marcus Neustetter has been consistently producing and exhibiting art and, in partnership with Stephen Hobbs, has been active with The Gallery Premises, The Trinity Session and in their collaborative capacity as Hobbs/Neustetter. http://www.onair.co.za